The Old Rules of B2B PR Are Dead-Here's What Works Now

"Previously, PR experts assumed that the CEO was the only credible media expert within the organization. That has changed. Many companies rely too heavily on their CEO for media opportunities and are underutilizing their other leaders. Also, journalists now crave experts with functional experience, especially to share use cases, implementation lessons, and adoption challenges."

"For product-driven PR, growth marketers or product experts stand a better chance of being featured. Niche B2B journalists want subject matter experts to make sense of a trend or a condition. CEOs might be better spokespeople for brand narratives, but they rarely hit the mark on niche product discussions."

"In these segments, journalists are craving human nuance, lived experience, and reader relatability. These topics convey transparency and humanity qualities journalists and AI interpret as trust signals. While subject matter experts can add intellectual value, their lived experiences resonate most to humanize narratives."

Analysis of over 200 January 2026 journalist queries reveals significant shifts in media coverage preferences across B2B verticals. Journalists increasingly seek functional experts—such as growth marketers and product specialists—rather than relying solely on CEOs for credibility. This trend is particularly pronounced in niche product discussions where subject matter expertise outweighs executive titles. Simultaneously, media demand has grown substantially around leadership, management, and workplace topics including hiring, retention, remote work, and burnout. Journalists now value human nuance, lived experience, and emotional resonance in these narratives, viewing transparency and relatability as trust signals. Organizations should activate internal and client subject matter experts across their communications strategies while leveraging authentic human experiences to strengthen narrative credibility.

Read at Inc